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Scottish research centre completes funding with £6.7 million

A flagship renewables research centre has been given the go-ahead, after it was granted a cash injection of £6.7 million from the European Union.

The funding for the Technology & Innovation Centre (TIC) at Strathclyde University, will help develop the centre for renewable energy technologies and enabling technologies, including pharmaceutical manufacturing, advanced engineering and health technologies.

Capital funding of £89m has already been secured from a range of partners, including Scottish Enterprise & Scottish Funding Council, with the £6.7m European contribution being the final piece in the jigsaw, enabling the project to proceed.

Alex Neil, Scotland’s cabinet secretary for infrastructure and capital investment, said: “I am absolutely determined that we focus our investment from areas like European funds on these kind of high value projects that create jobs and ensure we fully exploit our massive potential in areas like renewable energy.”

The 25,000 square metre centre, which will open its doors in 2014, will be pivotal to Scotland’s new International Technology and Renewable Energy Zone (ITREZ) and will be sited alongside Scottish Enterprise’s new Industry Engagement Building.

The university, alongside industry partners, aims to more than double the scale of research investment from £70m to more than £150m over the next 5 years and create up to 500 new, high value research, technology and engineering jobs.

Scotland’s Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “Scotland leads the world in renewable energy, with astounding green energy potential and vast natural resources, and we have a responsibility to make sure our nation seizes this opportunity.”

Developed with industry, the TIC has already attracted major partners including Scottish & Southern Energy, the Weir Group, Scottish Power and several other industrial partners across the sector.

Ewing added: “International corporations and domestic firms are investing for the future in Scotland’s world leading renewables industry. The work that will take place at the TIC will help us build on this, developing the innovative technologies which will help us ensure generations to come benefit from Scotland’s green energy revolution.”